17 September 2024, Port Vila, Vanuatu – The Government of Vanuatu and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) have committed to working together for a resilient Vanuatu environment by signing a Strategic Partnership Framework.
Held on the margins of the Seventh Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, the signing of the Strategic Partnership Framework signifies a high-level partnership that identifies Vanuatu’s environment and resilience priorities, and outlines joint initiatives, activities and projects to be progressed by SPREP and Vanuatu to meet these priorities.
Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards, Environment, Energy, and Disaster Management, Honourable John Salong welcomed the signing of the
partnership agreement.
“The signing of the Vanuatu-SPREP Strategic Partnership Framework is a testament to our shared commitment to environmental protection and climate resilience. This framework will enhance our ability to collaborate on a wide range of issues, from meteorology and early warning systems, biodiversity conservation to climate adaptation and disaster preparedness, waste management and pollution control, and environmental planning.”
“Through this partnership, we strengthen the bonds between Vanuatu and the broader Pacific family, guided by SPREP's vision of a resilient and sustainable Pacific environment”, he said.
The Strategic Partnership Framework, is directly linked to the goals in Vanuatu 2030: The People’s Plan, Vanuatu’s National Sustainable Development Plan 2016–2030, and will help to strengthen the work between the Government of Vanuatu and the Secretariat and ensure its relevance to the national context.
The Strategic Partnership Framework has been informed by consultation with a range of Vanuatu Government departments and agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation; Department of Climate Change; Department of Meteorology and Geo-Hazards; National Disaster Management Office; Vanuatu Fisheries Department; Department of Ports and Harbour; and the Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority.
SPREP’s Director General, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, expressed his thanks to the Government of Vanuatu for its guidance, “The support and contributions from across the Government of Vanuatu in developing the Strategic Partnership Framework demonstrate our joint commitment to achieving our regional SPREP vision of ‘a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures’”.
“SPREP has a mandate to promote cooperation in the Pacific region and to provide assistance in order to protect and improve its environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations. The work to develop a Strategic Partnership Framework is a key part of this.”
Key objectives of the Strategic Partnership Framework include better coordinating SPREP’s work in-country, and also helping to ensure the complementarity of SPREP’s work with other regional partners and donors who are working to support national environmental management and resilience.
For more information on the Vanuatu and SPREP Strategic Partnership Framework, please contact Ms Melanie Bradley, SPREP Strategic Planning Adviser, at [email protected].